The HSCIC has approved the electronic document management system Docman for full roll-out across all practices in England, which can be ordered as part of the GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC) service.

The GPSoC framework is centrally funding the whole Docman GP licence including ongoing support for both existing and any new Docman customers. The move makes it the first subsidiary module to be funded through the GPSoC framework.

The Docman GP IT system offers a range of features that allow practices to receive electronic letters from hospitals and streamlines administrative IT work.

It is currently used by 6,000 practices to receive, process and workflow nearly 3m physical and electronic documents every week.

£12,000 saving

As it is now centrally funded, any practices not currently using the system will be able to do so without having to pay for a licence for the service.

Practices already using the service will no longer have to pay for the licence and will receive ongoing support and additional licences for modules they do not already have through the GPSoC funding.

A practice typically saves £12,000 in the first year of using the software based on the time and costs savings of removing the paper process, according to a spokesman from PCTI Solutions, which designed the program.

He said: ‘Under the contract, PCTI are supplying the full Docman GP solution. The clinical electronic document management functions provide practices with huge measurable efficiencies and free up valuable time for healthcare professionals and administrative staff.’

The changes take effect from now. EMIS and INPS practices can order Docman immediately, while Microtest and TPP practices will be able to order Docman GP once necessary pairing integration has taken place.